Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing

Carlyn joins Matt and Oren to talk about Halloween parties, networking, and generative AI.After Grok mistakenly convinces Oren that Arnold Schwarzenneger had another open-heart surgery just days ago, Carlyn, Matt and Oren talk about all the things AI hasn’t been able to do.For example, Matt shares his review of several directors' pitch decks for a recent TV commercial. And… would you believe… they all used AI for the same frame. And the end result was that their pitches seemed more generic and same-same.One thing these commercial directors agree on is that because AI is able to turn out prose with such ease, producers and agency creatives are fatigued. Attention spans are shorter. The nature of the pitch is changing. And Matt has the stats to prove it.Oren points out it’s like the art of logo design – simple is better. And that’s not something generative AI is great at.You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re dying for more creativity, coin, and community in your work!Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: "Cunk on Cinema", the show https://www.imdb.com/title/tt47021035. Get your flu shot.Oren's Endorsement: Use a ChatGPT agent to help find the best car leasing deals on the market. And use ChatGPT to get in tough with people who can make a difference at AirBnB.Carlyn's Endorsement: "After Hours" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088680/ And the Brick app https://getbrick.com/

Cinematographer David Vollrath https://www.davidvollrath.com/ talks about how he’s adapted to the ebbs and flows of the business. Sometimes you’re on top and getting hired over and over. And then it just stops.But then Matt and Oren get David to delve into the lessons he learned from those experiences, how he survived it, and why it’s a necessary part of the creative/destruction process. If you keep getting hired for the same thing, well, then you’re always doing the same thing. And that gets stale. You need to grow, and that means not getting hired sometimes.David has also worked on the art of staying in front of people, which has a lot to do with being in the right place at the right time. And he’s learned that by not forcing things to happen, you can avoid cringe situations and chance encounters that keep you top of mind in a weird way.Matt, Oren, and Dave dive into what makes a Director easy for a DP to work with, and vice versa. And the reasons why getting hired sometimes has nothing to do with the right person and more about the politics in the background.You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re dying for ways to build genuine connections in today’s increasingly transactional environment!!Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: New York's Pop Up Bagels is now in LA on Ventura BlvdOren's Endorsement: Tell your favorite barista about how another barista on a different shift gives you a discount. Also, the Target app can navigate you in-store.David's Endorsement: Lumen Coffee

TikTok influencers @teppertoks and @nicolascurciowriter , hosts of the " Hollywood Hang" podcast, talk about balancing how to be an influencer while also being a creative.And Matt and Oren get all the details on how they started and where their feeds lives today.Kristen's main source of income had been making pitch decks for studios and production companies. And early on, she posted about how to create a pitch deck and the different people they are used to pitch. And Matt and Oren dive into how that turned into a job as a showrunner's assistant.You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re dying to learn how to get on the blacklist and hear from two writers who have done it!Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Watch the original "The Invisible Man"Oren's Endorsement: "Club Kid", the movie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38058097Nick's Endorsement: Rub Lanolin Nipple Cream on your chapped lips. https://lansinoh.com/products/lanolin-nipple-creamKristen's Endoresement: The show "Team Moms: Baseball" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt41377479

“Requiem for a Dream” editor Jay Rabinowitz https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704950/ joins Matt and Oren in discussing the art of working for top-tier auteurs. Jay’s work includes notable films like "The Tree of Life", "I'm Not There", "O'Dessa", "Is God Is", and "Coffee and Cigarettes".Matt and Oren dive deep into what it means to stand in for the director's point of view and simultaneously speak for the audience. Jay calls this like being “the boulder in the center of the river”, where a single rush of water encounters a boulder, separates, and continues on as a reshaped form. In that realm, what does intentionality mean? And how is it different for Terrence Malick vs. Darren Aronofsky?After first cutting his teeth editing network TV – 4 acts, commercial breaks, and the strict regime around how long each act must be – Jay spent 15 or so years cutting commercials. And there he learned the art of making a cut that speaks to everyone in the hierarchy: brand, agency, director, and all the personalities in between.You won’t want to miss this episode if you love film and the collaboration of auter-ship!!REFUNDS -- we will be refunding everyone who signed up for event which, unfortunately we had to cancel. Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod

Yoko Okumura is back again! And she’s fresh off the release of her latest film with Universal Studios!!! Matt and Oren dive into what it was like to direct “The Last Kiss” and the art of working with Blumhouse.Yoko imbues her unique style into everything she does. Colorful frames, an elevated look, and a lively reimagining and response to the last Hollywood cycle of muted, near monochromatic grit popularized over the last several years.Oren and Matt get Yoko to reveal her latest struggle to shape a career as one of the rare few directors that Hollywood demands. And Yoko opens up about the challenges and the Everest-size task before her.You won’t want to miss this episode if you've ever wondered whether the Quibi you directed is worth gold to your career!!!Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: "The Handmaiden" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016934/Oren's Endorsement: "Digger" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31450459/Yoko's Endorsement: Script Notes Podcast of Craig Mazin breaking down "Finding Nemo" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i27IKil-LXw

Alrik Bursell, Liz Manashi, Matt & Oren have, made over 1,100 podcasts episodes – 600 by “Making Movies is Hard” and 547 for “Just Shoot It”.What a shift it’s been from how they used to view the industry a decade ago, to how they view it today. There was a time when you could make a $100,000 short, get into Sundance, and that would launch you into a career as a full-time director. If only you had the determination, will, and creative desire to see it through.And Matt and Oren dive into how family, kids, houses, and bills change that. A dose of perspective from Alrik and Liz opens a deep conversation into whether it was ever in the cards that they’d be the type of filmmaker the industry wants. Because it’s not all about the best idea, or the best execution. It’s also about having the best wrapper – how you present, the impression you make, your willingness to trade off, sell out, compromise, or whatever you want to call it.You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re feeling the big chill from what you dreamed your career would be. And you will find sanguine company among those who share your insights and desire to elevate your craft as a filmmaker and artist.Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod

Matt & Oren talk about how nice it would be to have a career that drives itself. One where you the money keeps coming in. And the hustle is less.You might think cruise control means not caring. But that’s not what this episode is about. Matt and Oren want to share some ways to keep caring. Ways to hack your dopamine system to stay motivated, maybe even ambitious.Is that a bad thing?.You already know that “hope” is not a business plan. But how can you deal with the depression, or better put, long lulls in dopamine fixes from landing jobs and being on set?Creating output is definitely one way. And Matt and Oren have a lively chat about whether a short film can help your career as a commercial director. And how you can use a thoughtfully conceived short to your advantage when pitching jobs.You won’t want to miss this episode if you’ve ever wondered, “Am I the only one not working right now?”Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Canva.ai makes decks easier than using Photoshop, Illustrator, and Google Slides.Oren's Endorsement: Intermittent fasting is really effective for weight loss.Just Shoot It is co-hosted by comedy commercial directors Matt Enlow (mrmattenlow.com) and Oren Kaplan (directedbyoren.com).

Wesley Wang talks about his short film that linked him with Darren Aronofsky – who was dying to convince Wesley to make turn it into a feature. And that’s how Wesley got his script idea to become a Sony Pictures film.But after landing a spot in “Forbes 30 Under 30”, Wesley decided it was time to buck the studio system and create one on his own. His new studio is a seed fund for content creators making features, shorts, and pilots. The idea is to help filmmakers repeat the kind of success Wesley had at Sony. And that starts by making something audiences notice.So he launched something like “Project Greenlight” for the internet age. Check it out at wesleywangmedia.com, and pitch your idea. All you have to do is make a 60-second pitch video, and you could land $100,000 in funding.You won’t want to miss this episode if you’ve ever wondered what it means to be picked up by a big studio and be the overnight success dreams are made of. Does it mean giving up creative control? And is there a secret to navigating the studio process and notes from managers, studio, production, and many others with skin in the game!Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: "Good Luck Have Fun Don't Die" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1341338Oren's Endorsement: Season 2 of "Chad Powers", the show https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31449991/ And Furikake SeasoningWesley's Endorsement: "The Secret Agent" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27847051/Just Shoot It is co-hosted by comedy commercial directors Matt Enlow (mrmattenlow.com) and Oren Kaplan (directedbyoren.com).

Rick Darge rickdarge.com talks about casting unique faces, running effective callbacks, and methods to find the best actor. And Matt and Oren dive into the secrets behind Rick’s elevated comedic-style, which is as much zany as contained for the brand.Rick talks about the importance of clarity. So people who want to hire you know what you mean. But also so a spot hits the beats and tell the story in the 15 or 30-second time slot you need to. And Matt and Oren dig into how Rick creates standout commercials, from scripts that started life being average in quality.Finally, Rick talks about how he turns his passion for running great callbacks, and collaborating with actors so they see the vision of the script, into a method for having great vibe checks, meetings, or pitches when he meets with agencies and brands for new work as a director. You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re wondering how your unique voice can be put to work in spots that fit your own unique passions and wierdness.Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingJoin the Just Shoot it Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Lowes and Home Depot have sales for Halloween and now its the time to buy skeletons on saleOren's Endorsement: the Frame Set's video breaking down Rick Darge's Popeye's commercial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVzItb8xKecAdobe Premiere has a new AI footage generation toolRick's Endorsement: the movie "Buddy" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37281055/Just Shoot It is co-hosted by comedy commercial directors Matt Enlow (mrmattenlow.com) and Oren Kaplan (directedbyoren.com).